Oh God, please be with the sovereign nation of Canada as they go to the polls on Monday to elect members of parliament and the prime minister. May everyone who votes be safe and secure. May the best people be elected to move Canada into a prosperous era where the country will do good things for the world and one another.
In the aftermath of the 2024 election it is going to be important for allies and supporters of marginalized people. I am a cis gendered white male and I want to know how to be a better ally to the groups that are under threat and persecution especially women and LGBTQIA+ people. I will try my best to do good stuff but I do know I will make mistakes. Guidance is helpful here. What can I do to be of help.
Today, I went through my YouTube and Podcast feeds and unsubscribed from all the political influencers I was following. In the wake of the election results here in the United States, I felt like I needed a break from it all. Now is the time to cleanse the palate, brain, and heart of it all. Most times I would say don’t bury your head in the sand but this is an exception. Sometime someday I will return to them but staying fixated on it all isn’t mentally healthy. Just a word of advice to all of you considering doing the same.
I will not sugarcoat my disappointment and sadness over the election results. In my mind, the worst possible outcome was the reality. America got it wrong. Very wrong. Donald Trump is a criminal who deserves jail instead of The White House. I still believe in democracy. But still.
Kamala Harris and Tim Walz were the most qualified duo in this race. How could America not see that?
I am not worried about myself. Being a white male has its own privileges in a lot of ways that I am very saddened about. My concern is for those who will be further marginalized and under threat because of a MAGA legislative, judicial, and executive branch that will make life hard for a lot of people, especially the LGBTQ and immigrant communities. If you see how people live in places like Iran and Afghanistan then you will see where we might be going.
My question is: Is the cost of a carton of eggs or a gallon of milk worth selling to the soul of a nation? I can only think about Ukraine and other international obligations we have that will fall by the wayside. Billionaires will get tax cuts, tariffs will be levied on foreign goods and the deficit will skyrocket. Not to mention the most important things like the Affordable Care Act and other protections will be repealed. Even those who voted for Trump and have “Obamacare” will lose it.
It’s a very sad day. In another post, I will share some tips on how to decompress and focus on self-care in these times. May God be with us in these days ahead. America has much soul-searching to do.
On this day of election may our hearts and souls be full of courage and may God be with us through this night.
To all voting tomorrow be sure to thank the poll workers that are doing the work of a safe and orderly election. I am sure there will be a heavy turnout and they are going to have to work hard to keep up. Thank you to all who are making this election work for all. Don’t stay home, your vote is needed. My friends, democracy is hard work but its good work..
The Tony Burgess Blog 